Collapsible box and handle therefor



May 7, 1957 J. KRAMER ET AL COLLAPSIBLE. BOX AND HANDLE THEREFOR 5 Sheets-$heet 1 Filed May 18, 1954 INVENTORS JOSEPH KRAMER 8x JOSEPH J. PARKS I1. M @JJ; Mma

FIG-2 FIG-3 AT TOR N EYS May 7, 1957 J. KRAMER ET AL COLLAPSIBLE BOX AND HANDLE THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18. 1954 INVENTORS JOSEPH KRAMER 8a 'JOSEPH J. PARKS n W Mal/ 44% ATTORNEYS May 7, 1957 J. KRAMER ET AL COLLAPSIBLE BOX AND HANDLE THEREFOR 3 SheetsSheet 5 Filed May 18, 1954 n lu F INVENTORS JOSEPH KRAMER 8 BY JOSEPH .1. PARKSII W Mi, M 9 m ATTORNEYS nited States Patent COLLAPSIBLE BOX AND HANDLE THEREFOR Joseph Kramer, Reading, and Joseph J. Parks H, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors to The Gardner Board and Carton Co., MiddletowmOhio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 18, 1954, Serial No. 430,508

Claims. (Cl. 229-52) This invention relates to collapsible boxes of the type generally used for carrying garments, and particularly to a carrying handle for such boxes.

Preferably, such boxes are provided with their own handles, and both the handle and box should desirably be fabricated from disposable materials, since these boxes are generally intended for but a single use. Further, such boxes must collapse into a fiat form so that a quantity of them may be stored and shipped in a relatively small space, yet the boxes must be capable of quick and convenient erection for use. The handles must be easily assembled and readied for carrying purposes, but should preferably be stored with the box for the sake of convenience and simplicity.

To avoid concentrating the carrying stresses on a particular portion of the handle, as when a handle strip is formed separate from the box and attached thereby by inserting tabs at the end of such handle through slots formed in the box, it is desirable to permanently attach at least a portion of the handle to the box. But such a feature gives rise to further complications, since such attachments do not always lend themselves to compact folding of the entire assembly for storage. a

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a collapsible box which carries its own handle in collapsed form within the confines of the box for compact storage and which is capable of being easily erected for use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a handle for collapsible boxes which includes a portion fastened within the box to minimize tearing between the handle and the box by distributing the stresses on the handle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a collapsible box which is cut or stamped from a single blank of material and foldable into erected form, and a handle which is stamped or cut from a blank, fastened to a wall of the box, and formed into a carrying loop at one corner of the box.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one corner of a box constructed in accordance with the present invention with its looped handle in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a plan View in flat bank form of a box used in carrying out the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a handle blank constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 4' is a perspective view of the box of Fig. 2. erected to provide top and bottom portions thereof, and the handle of Fig. 3 in position to be looped at a corner of the box;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are partial perspective views illustrating the steps of looping the handle of Fig. 3 at a corner of the box;

2,791,368 Patented May 7, 1957 Fig. 8 is a broken sectional view of the folded box of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a box constructed in accordance with the present invention collapsed for storage with the handle folded inside the collapsed box.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is seen in Fig. 2 a box stamped or die cut from a single flat blank of material, and marked with dotted lines to denote score lines along which folds are made to collapse or erect the box, with suitable adhesive being applied to the dotted or shaded portions as shown.

The score lines divide the blank into a top panel 11 and a bottom panel 12 connected by an integral portion 13 which extends across the width of the blank and forms a rear end wall of the box. Both the top and bottom panels are scored to set off opposite side walls 15, 16 and 17, 18, and cooperating front end walls 19, 20. Corner flaps 21, 22, 23 and 24 are provided at the ends of front end walls 19, 20 to engage the adhesive on side walls 15, 16, 17 and 18, respectively, as all these walls are folded along the score lines which separate them from panels 11 and 12, respectively. With these flaps in place and these walls erected, the box includes top and bottom sections connected by the common rear end wall 13 as seen in Fig. 4.

Adjacent side walls 15, 17 and 16, 18 are connected to each other and to an end of rear end wall 13 by flaps 30 and 31. Each of these flaps is scored to provide for folding them within the box against the rear end wall 13 when the top and bottom sections of the box are folded toward each other along their respective scored joints with the rear end wall to close the box.

Flap 31 has a notched portion 32 for receiving the handle 35 of the present invention. This handle 35 is illustrated as a fiat blank of material in Fig. 3, and is divided into a main portion 36, which serves the dual function of securing the handle to the box and reinforcing the rear end wall 13, and an outwardly extending portion 37 which is narrower than main portion 36, in order to fit through notched portion 32 when the main portion 36 is secured to rear end wall 13. Approximately midway on the outward extension 37 are tabs 38, which may be folded to provide a gripping portion when the extension is looped at that corner of the erected box wherein notched flap 31 is contained.

A tongue 40 provides an enlarged end on outwardly extended portion 37 for locking engagement within the notched portion 32 as the box is erected and closed. Score lines are provided on either end of tabs 38, and next to tongue 40, so that the outwardly extended portion 37 of the handle forms a three-cornered carrying loop at a corner of the box. For additional strength in the loop, that part of extension 37 between tongue 40 and tabs 38 may be widenedas by lateral extensions 41.

The blank forms of Figs. 2 and 3 are joined by securing the main portion 36 of the handle blank to the rear end wall 13 of the box blank by the adhesive shown thereon in Fig. 2. The side walls 15, 16, 17 and 18 are bent up perpendicular to panels 11 and 12, and corner flaps 21, 22, 23 and 24 are folded within and secured to their respective adjacent side walls by the adhesive seen on these side walls in Fig. 2. The relative location of these flaps and side walls to panels 11 and 12 is best viewed in Fig. 4.

For storage purposes the assembled box and handle may now be compacted by folding the corner flaps 21 to 24 under side walls 15, 16, 17 and 18, and folding these side walls down upon panels 11 and 12 as seen in Fig. 9. It will be noted that the outwardly extended portion 37 of the handle is folded at 42 under notched flap 31, just within the confines of the box, so that the entire length 3 of the handle is stored within the box, and the entire box and handle assembly is flattened for storage.

The steps of folding flap 31 within the box and locking tongue 44) therein "are illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. Before closing the top and bottom portions of the box together, tongue 40 is placed within notched portion 32 by folding the outwardly extended portion 37, on the score lines provided for this purpose across portion 37 on either side of tabs 38, back toward the inside of the box, Tabs 38 are folded along their score lines away from the box to define the gripping portion at the top of the looped handle and to stiffen the center of the loop. As the box is closed, flaps 30 and 31 fold inside against rear end wall 13,, and flap. 31 locks tongue 40 within the box, as best seen in Figs. 6 and 7. Conventional tabs 43 are stamped or cut out of bottom front end wall 20', to be received in slots 44 provided in top end wall 19 for locking. the top and bottom sections of the box together.

The stress on the handle of the present .invention is widely distributed due to the large area of main portion 36 which is secured by adhesive to rear end Wall 13. Tongue 40 is securely held within the box by the three thicknesses of material which result when flap 31 is folded about it as shown in Fig. 8. The carrying loop which is thus provided offers a convenient, sturdy, and readily assembled handle for the box, yet it folds fiat Within the box for storage and does not interfere with collapsing of the box.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise. form of apparatus, and that changes may he made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined inthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A collapsible box having top and bottom portions formed integrally from a single flat blank, each of said top and bottom portions having opposite side walls, a front end wall, and a common rear end wall, adjacent side walls of the top and bottom portions having an integral flap connection scored to provide for erecting of said box, one of said flap connections having a notched out portion, and an auxiliary strip of material secured to said rear end wall and extending laterally outwardly of said box through said notched out portion, said strip having a scored line within the lateral confines of said box providing for inward folding thereof in collapsed form, said strip having a tongue at itsouter end receivable in locking relation in said notched out portion forming a carrying loop.

2. A collapsible box having a handle, said box com prising a generally rectangular blank scored to provide a rear end wall extending. across the width of said blank, top and bottom panels on opposite sides of said rear end wall and integral therewith, a plurality of wall panels integral with said top and bottom panels and extending from the sides and outer ends of said top and bottom panels, flaps connecting adjacent said wall panels to each other and scored to provide for collapsing cooperating top and bottom portions of said box into flattened form, the flap at one end of said rear end wall having a notched out portion, an auxiliary strip of material secured to said rear end wall and extending parallel thereto. through said notched. out portion for a substantial distance outwardly of said box, and a tongue at the outer end of said strip for locking the end thereof within the confines of said box through said notched out portion to provide a carrying loop for the erected box at one corner thereof.

3. A collapsible box comprising top and bottom panels,

each of said panels having opposed side walls, a front end wall on each said panel, and a common rear end wall secured to both said top and bottom panels, flaps connecting adjacent said walls to each other to provide for erecting top and bottom portions of said box about said top and bottom panels respectively, the fiap at one end of said rear end wall having a notched portion therein, an auxiliary strip of material secured to said rear end wall and extending through said notched portion outwardly of "said box, and a tongue at the outwardly extended end of said strip receivable in locking engagement through said notched portion Within said box to loop said outwardly extended end of said strip at one corner of said box and provide a carrying handle.

4. In a collapsible box formed from a single flat blank and having top and bottom panels, a common rear end wall integral with both said top and bottom panels, each said top and bottom panels having opposite side Walls and acooperating front wall, and flaps connecting adjacent said walls to provide for erecting cooperating top and bottom portions of said box; the combination of a notched portion in said flaps adjacent one end of said rear end wall, and a handle for said box including an auxiliary strip of material secured at one end to said rear end wall. and extending laterally outwardly of said box through said notched portion, a tongue at the other end of said strip insertable through saidnotched portion for locking engagement within said box, a pair of tabs extending from opposite sides of said strip to provide a gripping portion, and lateral extensions on each side of said strip from adjacent said tabs to adjacent said tongue, saidlateral extensions and said tabs cooperating to strengthen the carrying loop formed when said tongue is locked Within: said box.

5. A collapsible box having top and bottom portions formed integrally from a single flat blank, each of said top and bottom port-ions including a panel having integral opposite side walls, an integral front end wall, and a common rear end wall, flaps connecting the adjacent said walls to each other and scored to provide for folding said side and front end walls upon said panels in collapsed form, one of the flaps connecting adjacent said side Walls to said rear end wall having a notched portion therein, an auxiliary strip of material secured to said rear end wall and adapted to extend through said notched portion laterally outwardly of said box in erected form, said strip being scored within the confines of said box to provide for foldingsaid'strip therein in collapsed form, a tongue at. the outer end of said strip receivable in locking engagement through said notched portion to provide a carrying loop in the outwardly extended portion of said strip at a corner of the erected and closed box, tabs extending from opposite sides of said outwardly extended portion, said tabs having score lines parallel to said strip for folding said tabs substantially normal to said strip providing a gripping portion thereon, and lateral extensions on each sideof said strip extending between said tabs and said tongue cooperating, with said tabs. to strengthen said carrying, loop.

References. Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,093,412 Hess Apr. 14, 1914 1,877,601 Shapiro Sept. 13, 1932 1,971,197 Ottinger' Aug. 21', 1934 2,021,559 Leng'sfield Nov. 19, 1935 2,038,319 Stanley Apr. 21, 1936 2,548,252 Bergstein Apr. 10, 1951 

